Heinz to Play Catsup as a Cancer-Risk Reducer

The H.J. Heinz Co. said Wednesday that it is launching a new print advertising campaign touting the benefit of processed tomato products in reducing the risk of certain cancers and heart disease.

The ads feature a pouring bottle of Heinz catsup and messages promoting the health benefit of lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomato products. The ads are endorsed by the Cancer Research Foundation of America, a 13-year-old group that promotes the consumption of fruits and vegetables to help reduce the risk of some cancers.

Heinz’s key message in the ads is that processed tomato products deliver as much as five times more lycopene than fresh tomatoes. The company said lycopene protects cells from free radicals--molecules that disrupt the body’s cell membranes and attack the genetic material within.

Heinz said the ads also will include research findings from the Tomato Research Council that reveal the highest levels of lycopene are available in products such as catsup, with lower levels found in fresh tomatoes.